News / Regional
Habakkuk Trust on voter registration drive
10 Nov 2017 at 10:01hrs | Views
Habakkuk Trust organized a leadership camp for youth in Gwanda District to equip them with requisite knowledge.
The seminar was aimed at enabling them to come up with youth friendly strategies to mobilize youths in their areas to participate in local processes and most importantly to register to vote.
At the training, youths bemoaned limited information on the biometric voter registration system which they said was the main reason why most of them are not yet registered.
Prince Gumbo from Gwanda Ward 6 said most youths don't know that voter registration process has started and the importance of participating in community processes.
"We did not know the registration process has started. We don't have much information on the new registration system because most of us do not attend community meetings. Most youths participate in meetings where they directly benefit or given something at the end," said Gumbo.
At the youth camp, only one youth had already registered to vote. The youths promised to mobilize many youths to register when the voter registration exercise starts in their Ward.
Habakkuk Trust Chief Executive Officer Dumisani Nkomo advised the youths to take advantage of their strength and numbers to influence local processes as well as to actively participate in registration process.
"Anything that is established without young people doesn't have a good foundation and is not sustainable," he said. "You should register to vote, mobilize other young people to register to vote and be part of the decision making processes happening in your areas, including development of village plans. If you don't take part, your elders will decide for you and your interests won't be considered," Nkomo said.
Historically the number of youths participating in decision making processes has been low in spite of the high number of youths in communities. Therefore, Habakkuk Trust organized a youth camp to capacitate youth leaders and influence local processes and mobilize more youths to register to vote and actually vote in next year's elections.
The seminar was aimed at enabling them to come up with youth friendly strategies to mobilize youths in their areas to participate in local processes and most importantly to register to vote.
At the training, youths bemoaned limited information on the biometric voter registration system which they said was the main reason why most of them are not yet registered.
Prince Gumbo from Gwanda Ward 6 said most youths don't know that voter registration process has started and the importance of participating in community processes.
"We did not know the registration process has started. We don't have much information on the new registration system because most of us do not attend community meetings. Most youths participate in meetings where they directly benefit or given something at the end," said Gumbo.
At the youth camp, only one youth had already registered to vote. The youths promised to mobilize many youths to register when the voter registration exercise starts in their Ward.
Habakkuk Trust Chief Executive Officer Dumisani Nkomo advised the youths to take advantage of their strength and numbers to influence local processes as well as to actively participate in registration process.
"Anything that is established without young people doesn't have a good foundation and is not sustainable," he said. "You should register to vote, mobilize other young people to register to vote and be part of the decision making processes happening in your areas, including development of village plans. If you don't take part, your elders will decide for you and your interests won't be considered," Nkomo said.
Historically the number of youths participating in decision making processes has been low in spite of the high number of youths in communities. Therefore, Habakkuk Trust organized a youth camp to capacitate youth leaders and influence local processes and mobilize more youths to register to vote and actually vote in next year's elections.
Source - Byo24News
